Another Shot in the Dark

Guest Post Submitted by Tanner George

As Ravens players begin to pack their bags for the Bahamas after yet another cut-short, injury-hampered season, both fans and the front office turn their attention to the late-April NFL Draft. There are several glaring weaknesses on this roster, namely wide receiver and cornerback, but none is more evident than the pass-catching corps.

The Flock has been complaining about the shortcomings of this position group for a while now, but it’s clear that these grievances have made themselves known in the offices of John Harbaugh and Eric DeCosta. Harbaugh, ever notorious for keeping his cards close to his chest, even admitted that the WR corps would undergo a much-needed overhaul in the coming months. The Ravens don’t possess the draft capital to swing a trade for a top-tier WR and lack the cap space (when factoring in the soon-to-come franchise tag on Lamar Jackson) to dish out an intriguing contract that would lure an elite talent to the Charm City. Thus, DeCosta & Co. must turn to a strong receiver class in the upcoming Draft in order to provide whoever’s taking snaps next season with some much-needed help.

But, let’s call this what it is: another shot in the dark.

A Glance at the Past…

Since Eric DeCosta took over as GM in 2019, the Ravens have invested six draft picks in wide receivers. That’s over 16% of their available draft capital. In 2019, they selected Marquise Brown (now with the Cardinals), and Miles Boykin (released, signed by the Steelers). In ’20, the team brought in Devin Duvernay and James Proche, though neither of them has completely lived up to expectations. Granted, Duvernay was never able to benefit from Greg Roman’s fabled “vault”, but it’s clear after three seasons that his main talents lie in the kick-return game. To Proche’s credit, everyone on the team recognizes his incredible work-ethic and eye-popping plays in training camp, but he’s consistently lacked the ability to make his talents shine on gameday.

In ’21, the front office picked up the promising but injury-prone Rashod Bateman in the first round and the admittedly disappointing Tylan Wallace later in the draft. While Bateman has proved that he can be a dangerous threat, averaging 19 yards per catch in six games, he has struggled to stay healthy and consistently put up big numbers. He only broke 100 yards once this season, racking up 108 in Week 2’s contest against Miami, but it’s important to note that 75 of those yards came on one play: a quick slant that Bateman took to the house after dusting Xavien Howard. This season especially, he wasn’t overly reliable in the short game and often disappeared for entire quarters at a time, characteristics quite the opposite of a true WR1. Nevertheless, Bateman certainly has potential; though, as he enters year three, it’s important to realize that it’s prove-it or lose-it time.

It’s fair to say that DeCosta’s draft picks at WR haven’t exactly panned out. He would be among the first to admit that. Despite any reassurances he may give fans, his draft history with the position group does nothing to put the Flock at ease. With a few years of experience as general manager, DeCosta likely has a good idea as to what types of receivers they must surround Jackson (or whoever is taking snaps) with. Thus, the fanbase must now turn their attention to the upcoming draft class and cross their fingers that the front office hits a home run with a potential selection.

…and a Hard Look at the Future

The talent of the 2023 draft class of pass-catchers is about as obvious as the Ravens’ shortcomings at the position group: glaring. This crop of prospects is certainly one of the strongest in recent memory; it truly stacks up against the jackpot that was the 2019 class. As with every group of draft-day hopefuls, however, there is no guarantee that the talent that set them apart in college will translate to the NFL. The Ravens have been blessed with a plethora of talent ahead of them and face three legitimate scenarios to snag an elite WR…

1. Move Up

a. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. recently mocked TCU’s Quentin Johnson to Baltimore at #22, but EDC will in all likelihood need to trade up in order to bring him to Charm City. Tennessee (#11), New England (#14), and Green Bay (#15) are undoubtedly doing their due diligence on this unique prospect, and it’s fair to say that half the league is interested in him. Standing at 6’4”, 215 pounds, Johnson poses a daunting physical threat to any cornerback tasked with lining up against him. While his route-running skills could use some polishing, he still racked up 17.8 yards per catch in his breakout campaign this season. Lamar Jackson loves big targets, and Johnson would certainly provide a boost in the passing game and build a rapport with the QB. USC’s Jordan Addison, too, could be a good fit for Baltimore but will likely be off the board by pick 22. However, EDC doesn’t have much wiggle room in this year’s draft, as the mid-season Roquan Smith trade leaves the team with only five picks. For context, the Ravens had that many picks in the fourth round last April. Moving up would, in all likelihood, mean giving up a current player or sacrificing future draft capital, something that DeCosta is notoriously against.

2. Stay Put

a. Why not just stay at #22? When Baltimore goes on the clock, there will likely be two flashy prospects still on the board: Zay Flowers and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Flowers’s build and skill set are eerily similar to those of Marquise Brown. Both Flowers and Brown are near 170 pounds (172 and 170, respectively) and both are fairly short (5’10” and 5’9”, respectively). Like Brown, Flowers is known as a speedster with field-flipping abilities. Yet, Hollywood had trouble getting open and often was lost in coverage. Flowers could quite possibly endure a similar fate; what’s to say he won’t?

b. Smith-Njigba, on the other hand, was a surefire top-10 pick until he suffered a hamstring injury earlier in the season, causing his draft stock to slide. Now, barring a miraculous recovery prior to his Ohio State Pro Day, he could fall right into Baltimore’s lap. Sound familiar? (Looking at you, David Ojabo). Smith-Njigba’s health is obviously a concern, especially with a team that has been so injury-prone over the last two seasons. While he would likely be able to contribute starting Week 1, as is so often the case, it will take him a few weeks to readjust to game speed. If JSN makes a full recovery, the Ravens could land an absolute steal by just staying where they are.

3. Trade Back

a. If you asked me what Eric DeCosta will do in this Draft, my honest answer would be this: trade back. EDC and the Ravens as an organization love to stockpile draft picks. During the team’s end-of-season presser, the GM hinted at a bit of discomfort having only five selections. By trading back into the early second round, the Ravens would gain draft capital (likely two Rd. 2’s or a Rd. 2 and a Rd. 3) and still have a shot at a legitimate receiver prospect: Josh Downs out of North Carolina.

Downs is a similar player to Flowers, packing elite speed in a small frame. While he is admittedly less explosive, he would still be a solid addition to the receiver room. Downs could serve as a nice complement to Bateman, but his potential really maxes out at a WR2 role. Trading back, however, could allow DeCosta to address another position of need: cornerback. If he was able to snag two second-round picks for the #22, the Ravens could have a shot at Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, a prospect with elite potential but underdeveloped mechanics. The front office has shown that they’re not afraid to take a flier on a player such as this; look at Odafe Oweh, Ben Cleveland, and more.

Time to Wait and See

As DeCosta & Co. gear up for the Draft, they’re certainly aware of the potentially franchise-altering decision ahead of them. Pick the wrong receiver and you anger Lamar Jackson and inhibit the offense’s ability to return to the league’s elite. Select a generational talent and you’ve secured a franchise cornerstone for years to come. The stakes have never been higher for EDC and the crew; they cannot afford to miss.

Even so, drafting a pass-catcher in 2023 feels just the same as in years gone by.

Another shot in the dark.